Lock-indicator.



No 867,175. PATENTED SEPT.'24; 1907. J

H. G. VOIGHT.

LOOK INDICATOR.

APPL IOATION FILED MAR. 22,1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

j (A l! PATENTED SEPT. 24, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H G VOIGHT LOCK INDICATOR. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22, 1907.

rmrrnn srrrrns Parana orinon.

HENRY G. VOIGHT, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO RUSSELL & ERWIN MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

LOCK-INDICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 24, 1907.

Application filed March 22.1907. Serial No. 363,825-

To all whom it may concern:

Be'it known that I, HENRY G. Vororrr, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Britain, county of Hartford, Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lock-Indicators, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in indicators for looks.

The invention is of particular utilityin connection with locks for corridor doors. It frequently happens that corridors are dark, in fact so dark that the ordinary visual indicators cannot be readily employed. To that end it is my purpose to provide an indicator that appeals to the sense of touch.

This indicator has a positive movement, and when in one position indicates that the door has not been locked from the inside, while in another position it indicates that the door has been locked from the inside and acts as a warning against unnecessary intrusion.

In the acbompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a corridor door with my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the edge of a door equipped with my indicator, said view being partly in section. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of the inside of the outside finishing plate bearing the indicator. Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views showing the indicator in different positions. Fig. 6 represents a development of a cam slot. Fig. 7 is an interior view of the lock, reduced.

1 represents a door.

2 represents the faceplate of a mortise lock of the usual hotel corridor type.

3 is the latch bolt.

4 is a lock-bolt arranged to be operated by a key insertible from the outside of the door.

5 is a dead bolt arranged to be operated by any suitable means from the inside of the door, for example, the usual thumb-turn 6.

7 is the thumb-turn spindle, the same projecting into the lock to make engagement with bolt 5. This spindle, in the form shown, projects entirely through the lock case and makes operative engagement with the indicator at the outer side.

8 is the indicator, which preferably comprises a button-like device which is capable of being positively moved in and out to either of two indicating positions, which respectively indicate to one desiring information that the bolt 5 is projected or retracted. This indicator 8 is mounted in a suitable guide 9, which if desired may be formed in or attached to the usual escutcheon plate 10. This guide is preferably a thinl- .ble-like device and its inner end extends back of the escutcheon plate, as best seen in Figs. 2, 4 and '5. The

inner end of'the indicator extends to the rear of the guide 9 and has an irregular opening to receive the end of the spindle 7.

11 is a cam-groove formed in the side of the indicator. 12 is a pin carried by the guide 9 and projecting into said cam groove. This pin and groove form what I term a spiral connection between the'actuating element and the indicator.

From the foregoing it will be seen that when the door has been locked from the inside, the bolt 5 will be projected, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In rotating the spindle 7 to project this bolt, the indicator 8 is also rotated, and since the same is slidable upon the end of the spindle, rotation in a direction to project the bolt 5 will cause said indicator to be retracted (see Figs. 1 and 2). This retraction of the indicator is due to the pin and cam-groove connection previously described. Any one approaching the door from the outside may 'now learn by feeling for the indicator and by observing its position, that the door has been locked from the inside. It is preferred to have the indicating position as shown in the drawings, to wit, when the indicator is in, (Fig. 4-) it indicates that the door has been locked.

from the inside; when out, (Fig. 5) it indicates that the door has not been locked from the inside, and that if locked at all, such locking has been accomplished by means of bolt I turned by a key inserted through the usual outside key-hole 13.

Another advantage of having the indicating position the one in which the indicator is retracted so as to be substantially flush with the escutcheon, resides in the fact that it will foil any attempt upon the part of a possible intruder to operate the lock by turning the outer end of the indicator. at the extreme ends of the cam slot flattened out, as

shown in Fig. (i, so that any effort to push in the indicator will not tend to impart, through the medium of the cam and spiral groove, a rotary movement to the spindle 7. While it is not preferred, nevertheless the indicating position might be reversed. advantage in employing the positively acting indicator, because it eliminates multiplicity of parts and avoids the use of springs and the like, which are liable to cause undue friction and binding. The invention It is preferable to have the curves There is decided v,

also permits of a self-adjustment to doors of different guide case might be located entirely outside of the door proper and might be of any desired diameter or shape.

The corridor door lock illustrated is oi that well known type in which the advancing ol' the bolt i by the insertion oi a key from the outside will cause the retraction of the bolt 5, but never the advance oi the latter. The result is, the holder oi a master key, (l'er example, a hotel attendant), has it within his or her power to enter a number of rooms, even though the door has been locked from the inside. This would be accomplished by first advancing the upper bolt 4, thereby retracting the lower bolt 5. Thus the holder oi the master key can retract the upper bolt and enter the room. Much time of the attendant is saved and much annoyance spared the occupant of a room, by the use oi these indicators, ior the holder of such a key may instantly learn whether the door has been locked l'rom the inside.

While I have shown a connection between the inside controlled bolt and the indicator in the term oi a continuation oi the thumb-turn spindle, obviously this is not essential, although preierable, since it results in many economies. It is also preferable to have the inner Wall oi the guide 9 (when in the term of thimble, as shown) tapered or flared, so as to permit the indicator to have a suiiicient oscillatory movement to prevent binding or cramping in the event the lock has been carelessly applied and the indicator has not been properly alined with its operating device.

1n Fig. 7 I have shown a lock oi the usual hotel corridor type, with the two bolts and with a pivoted walkone, is of greater length than the other, so that when the bolt 4 is retracted it will not project bolt 5, should the latter be retracted. This is a well known construction, but is illustrated because this invention has particular value when applied to a lock of this type, and because it affords a basis for some oi the claims which call tor the combination of an indicator with such a lock.

What I claim is:

1. In a lock, a bolt, means for operating said bolt from the inner side 01 the door to which the lock is applied, a reciprocating indicating device for the outside of said door, said indicating device comprising an exposed movable memher and means for positively moving said indicating device into and holding the same in two different indicating positions,

2. In a lock, a bolt, means for operating said bolt from the inner side of the door to which the lock is applied,

an indicating device l'or the outside oi said door. said indicating device comprising an exposed axially movable memher, and means for positively moving said indicating device into and holding the same in two different indicating posilions said indicator being retracted when the bolt is projccled.

1%. In a lock, :1 bolt, means for operating snid boll. from the inner side ot' the door to which the lock is applied. an indicating device for the outside oi said door, said indicaiing device comprising an exposed longitudinally movable member. and means for positively moving; saidindicating device into two different indicating positions, the movement oi" said operating means in both directions being dcpendent with the movement ot the said bolt.

i. 111 a lock, a bolt. means for operating" the same from opposite sides of the door to which the lock is applied. an indicator for the outer side of the lock, said indicator comprising an exposed movable device. and means to positively move said indicator to two dil'l'ercni indiczlli fl positions when the bolt is operated from the inside and lo only one indicating position when said bolt is operated from the outside.

5. in combination, a lock having a bolt, means for ac i'uating the same, an indicator comprising an a. ally n1ov able externally located device, means cooperatively conneciing the bolt and indicator to impart a positive inovcment to the indicator in both directions and arranged to hold the latter positively in two different positions.

(3. in combination, a lock having a bolt, means ior ac- (noting the same. an indicator comprising an a. :llly movable externally located device, means coiiperaLively connecting the bolt and indicator to impart a positive more mcnt to the indicator in both directions, said means including a spiral connection between the indicator and an adjacent part:

7. In combination. a lock case, a bolt, :1 spindle for operating said bolt. said spindle extending entirely through said case, an indicator comprising an externally locaicd exposed device movable in and out, a connection hclwccn said indicator and spindle. and a spiral connection between said indicator and an adjacent part whereby. when said spindle is rotated in either direction, the indicator will be given a positive movement, in or out. to corrcspond with the direction of rotation 01' said spindle.

H. In an indicating: device for locks. the combination of an externally located exposed device, with means for positively moving the same in and out, said means bearing a dependent relation to the belt of the lock, said indicator standing in while the bolt is projected and out when the bolt is retracted.

2). An indicating device for door locks comprising a re ciprocating' iin a'enpiecc, a guide iherelfor, a rotatable spindle engaging said indicator at the rear, means to prevent the independent relation of said indicator relaiivcly to one oi said parts, and a spiral or cam connection between said indicator and the other part.

Witnesses 1 R. C. MnrcnnLL, Laxonox Moonn. 

